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Grassington & Threshfield Golf Club, North Yorks. (1908 - 1950s)

The club was founded in 1908 with a membership of over 60.

Sir Matthew Wilson of Upper Wharfedale was the first president of the club.

Golf was played on the course until the early 1950s but by then it was gradually reverting to farmland. The current landowners occasionally reopen the course for charity purposes. The course was situated on the Threshfield to Kilnsey road near the Old Hall pub.

From the Yorkshire Post Wednesday 5 February 1908 - "ANOTHER GOLF CLUB FOR YORKSHIRE - By Easter a new club and course will be in full working order at Grassington. The course will be laid out on land adjoining the Old Hall Inn, Threshfield, and there is every prospect of a fine course accruing. Sir Matthew Wilson of Upper Wharfedale will be the first president of the club, and already there is a membership of over sixty."

Further report on the new club in February 1907.

Wharfedale & Airedale Observer Friday 7 February 1908. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In 1914 the secretary was A Mitchell Crabtree, Threshfield, near Skipton. The professional was George Ashton. A 9-hole course with gravel subsoil on Limestone. There was a membership of 100. There was no entry fee. Subs for gents were £1/10/0 for ladies and youths £1/1/0. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 5/- a week, 15/- a month, Sundays 2/-. Station at Grassington via Skipton was 5 minutes away.

The golf clubhead below is marked - "WARRANTED HAND FORGED MASHIE - Geo. Ashton, Grassington Golf Club.

Image courtesy of John O'Neill of Bradford.

In the early part of the 1920s the secretary was A J Plunkett, “The Ghaistrylls”, Grassington. The green-keeper was Geo Ashton, the professional in 1914. Still a 9-hole course at this time with a membership of 100. Visitors’ fees were now 2/- a day, 10/- a week and 15/- a month. Sunday play was allowed after 1pm.

From about 1927 to 1934 the secretary was F Clayton, “Nethercroft”, Threshfield, Skipton-in-Craven. The SSS was 69 and the amateur course record was held by S Carr 65.

Below is the result of an open competition played in May 1936.

From the Leeds Mercury Monday 25th May 1936. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

From 1935 to 1947 the Secretary was Mitchell Wignall Crabtree. The green-keeper was the long serving George Ashton. The course was now 12-holes. There was a steady membership of 100. The SSS and Par scores were 67. Visitors’ fees were 2/- a day at weekend and Bank Holidays it was 2/6 a day, 10/- a week, gents 20/-a month and ladies 15/-. The nearest Station was now at Skipton 9 miles away. Local hotels were the Wilson Arms and the Devonshire Arms.

Location of the Grassington & Threshfield course.

The course had disappeared by 1951.

Thanks to Christine Harrison for the following information in 2004 “My father-in-law bought the land, as part of the farm, in the 1940s and he took his family to live in the golf house. My husband and sister were brought up there. The wooden house was later surrounded by stone and substantially extended, but is still there, still called “The Golf House”, just a short distance from where we live now.

Since the golf club closed, the golf course has been farmland, until about 20 years ago it was part of our dairy farm; now we farm beef cattle and sheep. Both my sons, along with their friends, always “played” the golf course during their school holidays. They always knew where the greens were and where the holes had been. We re-opened the golf course to celebrate the Millenium. On one day, between Christmas and New Year, we charged people £10 a head to play the golf course. We fed them sausage sandwiches, from a barbecue in our garden, and gave them whisky (to keep out the chill!) before they set off. Some friends ran a mulled wine tent half way round. We could not mow any of the ground or anything like that, and the ground was rough so we sank planters in the ground to provide larger than normal holes. Afterwards everyone went round to the Old Hall Inn next door, to eat pie and peas , to await the results and presentation of prizes etc. We made nearly £1,000 for Cancer charities and a very good time was had by all. We have since run the day again, put up our rates slightly and made even more money for various charities. It did look like becoming an annual event, but we did not run the event the year after we lost our stock to foot and mouth”

The former clubhouse was a painted wooden structure in position of what is nowadays the Golf House. It was rebuilt by Mick Darwin who converted it into a stone bungalow.

Below are pictures of the clubhouse from the 1960s.

Thanks to Graham Foster for the above images.

Views over the derelict course at Threshfield. Many features of the old course can still be made out. Author's Collection.